Ice and snow removing machine



Aug. 15, 1961 5, McKEE ICE AND SNOW REMOVING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Oct. 20, 1958 R. M g K E V C mM R E N B A H E hywm mm y 8 my mm 8%&

ATTORNEY Aug. 15, 1961 s, McKEE 2,995,841

ICE AND SNOW REMOVING MACHINE Filed Oct. 20, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR.

ABNEF? S. MQKEE z ATT RNEY United States Patent 2,995,841 ICE AND SNOWREMOVING MACHINE Abner S. McKee, Paonia, Colo. Filed Oct. 20, 1958, Ser.No. 768,338 2 Claims. (CI. 37-12) This invention is directed to an iceand snow removing machine and more particularly to such a machineconstructed and designed for cleaning streets and highways.

A principal object of the invention is to provide an improved ice andsnow removing machine which can be moved on a street or highway andremove ice and snow therefrom and then subsequently cause such to bemelted and discharged as water for disposal.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved ice and snowremoving machine having a high capacity for melting and which willaccomplish the melting without the necessity of pulverizing.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a novel ice and snowremoving machine wherein a heated water bath is employed to melt ice andsnow so removed.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a novel iceand snow removing machine employing a plurality of high heat exchangefire tubes within a tank adapted to retain water which when heatedprovides rapid melting of ice and snow removed, together with means fordisposal of excess water produced by such melting.

Other and further objects of the invention will become more apparent asthe description proceeds taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side view of an ice and snow removing machine according tothe invention and being particularly constructed for use on streets andhighways;

FIGURE 2 is a view to an enlarged scale of one of the fire tubes showingthe arrangement of the burner therewith; and

left in the drawing, is unobstructed so that snow can readily pass intothe space between the two side frame structures as the machine is movedforwardly on a street, highway or other surface desired to be cleaned ofsnow. At the forward end of the side frame is a wheel 13 and a likewheel 14 is carried at the forward end of the other side frame structure'11. Both of these wheels have a short axle structure so there will notbe any cross axle to interfere with the movement of snow into themachine. At the rear of the frame are mounted two other wheels 15 and 16carried on the ends of an axle 17 which extends completely across therear end of the frame and is suitably supported by the rear ends of thetwo side frame structures 10 and 11. With these four wheels, the machinecan be readily moved down a highway or any other surface from which itis desired to remove snow and ice. The forward end of the two side framemembers '10 and 11 also carry a snow scoop 18 in the form of anadjustable inclined plane. Suitable wings 19 and 20 may be provided toeither side of scoop 18 as means to assist in guiding the snow and iceto be removed into the machine between the two side frame structures.Scoop 18 is pivotally mounted on the side frames by means of dependingmembers 21 by suitable means and is adapted to be raised and loweredinto contact with a street or highway by means of a cable 22 and winch23 mounted on one side frame and positioned above scoop 18. Scoop ice 18may be raised when moving the machine from one location to another.

An important feature of the invention resides in the use of a meltingtank 24 which is mounted between the two side frame structures 10 and 11of the machine. A plurality of generally U-shaped fire tubes 25 of theimmerslon type are positioned within tank 24 in heat ex change relationwith the interior thereof and are each provided with an inlet 26 andexhaust 27. Referring to FIGURE 2, an oil burner 28 is mounted to jetinto the inlet means of bracket 29. Burner 28 is connected to a sourceof fuel oil (not shown) by means of a conduit 30 which may convenientlybe fed from a manifold in a manner as well understood in the art.

A conveyor generally designated as 31 is positioned to receive the iceand snow from scoop 18 and deliver same to tank 24 for melting. Conveyor31 is mounted between frame structures 10 and '11 and supported by meansof upright members 32 and 33. Pairs of sprocket wheels 34 and 35 aresuitably mounted for rotation on frame structures 10 and 1.1 with pair34 being driven by a suitable motor 36. A conveyor belt 37 is positionedon sprocket wheels 34 and 35 and is provided with cleats 38 to assist inthe moving of the ice and snow. As seen in FIGURE 1, sprocket wheels 35are positioned below the rear edge of scoop 18 and the sprocket wheels34 are positioned over the forward edge of tank 24, such that conveyorbelt 37 picks up ice and snow discharging from scoop 18 and deliverssame to the tank 24. A fan 39 is pivotally mounted on the front of theside frame structures 10 and 11 by means of arms 40. Fan 39 is poweredby means of a motor 41 and is adapted to be raised or lowered by meansof winch and cable 42. The height of fan 39 may be adjusted to cut intosnow drifts.

Guide means 43 and 44 are mounted on side frame structures '10 and 11and positioned to guide ice and snow from conveyor 31 into the warmestpart of tank 24. A baffle 50 is positioned within tank 24 to divide sameinto front and rear compartments. The top of halide 50 extends to apoint below the normal water level of the tank. An overflow tank 45 ismounted between side frame structures 10 and 11 to the rear of meltingtank 24 and one or more weirs 46 are provided between tanks 24 and 45through which excess water from the melting of the ice and snow may flowto outlets 47 and 48 to disposal. Exhaust chamber 51 connected toexhausts 27 of immersion fire tubes 25 is seen to be in heat exchangerelation with an end of tank 45 and supplies heat thereto to melt anyice or snow passing over weirs 46, which establish the normal waterlevel within tank 24. Chamber 51 is vented to the atmosphere through asuitable stack.

The burners 28 supplying heat to tubes 25 and the contents of tank 24may be of any suitable type, but are preferably of a forced draft typewhereby heat from the burners will be caused to flow rapidly through thewalls of the tubes to the contents of tank 24. Fuel is supplied to theburners through conduits 30 and forced air will be delivered to theburners through the conduits 52, these conduits being suitably connectedto a blower indicated at 53 as shown in FIGURE 3.

The blower is shown as being driven by a cross drive shaft 54 journaledon the frame and driven by a suitable engine 55. This driving shaft 54is also arranged to drive an electric generator 56, through gear train57, to supply electricity to the machine to perform certain of theoperations.

The snow removing machine just described is arranged to be pushed by atractor, not shown, of any suitable construction. This tractor will havewheels and be provided with an engine for moving the tractor. The frontend of the tractor will be arranged to be coupled to the rear end offrame F of the snow removing machine by any suitable coupling 58. Theoperators cab of the tractor and snow machine will be'positioned at ahigh point thereon so the operator can look forwardly of the machine andsee the road ahead. In the cab will be all the necessary controls forthe snow removing machine, that is, the controls for motors 41 and 36.Also in the tractor will be provided a steering control which willextend forwardly by means of column 59 to a steering gear 60 at thefront of the snow removing machine and mounted on its upper structure.From this gear, there will be a shaft 61 by means of which the two frontwheels 13 and 14 can be steered. The steering column will be made so itcan be divided whenever it is desired as at 62 to disconnect the tractorfrom the snow removing machine. All connecting structure such aselectrical cables, conduits, etc., between the tractor and snow machine,will be provided with suitable connecting joints so that uncoupling ofthe tractor and machine can be accomplished if desired.

The snow removing machine will also carry a large storage tank 63 forfurnishing fuel to the burners for supplying heat to the interior of themelting tank.

The operation of the improved snow removing machine is believed to beobvious from the foregoing detailed description of structure embodyingthe invention. Briefly described, however, this operation consists ofdriving the machine forward at a predetermined rate of speed, dependenton the amount of snow to be removed. The burners will be set inoperation before the machine moves and the melting tank filled to thenormal water level with water. When the water within the melting tank isproperly heated, the machine can be caused to move forwardly at thedesired speed. By proper adjustment of scoop 18, snow Will be fed toconveyor 31 to be deposited in melting tank 24. The snow and icedeposited in tank 24 will be immediately melted on coming into contactwith the heated water therein. Guides 43 and 44 direct the snow into thewarmest part of the water in tank 24 and bafile 50, while of a height topermit chunks of ice to pass thereover, confines and localizes themelting action. When the water level in tank 24 exceeds that determinedby weirs 26, the water overflows into auxiliary tank 45 and is pumped todisposal through outlets 47 and 48 by means of a pump energized fromgenerator 56.

With reference'to the efficiency of using heated water to effect themelting of snow over the more conventional methods, it will be notedthat it takes 143.6 B.t.u. to melt one pound of ice at 32 degrees F.Snow having a 15% moisture content contains 9.37 pounds of ice crys'tals per cubic foot. Each cubic foot of the above snow will require1345.5 B.t.u. of heat to melt the ice crystals to water at the freezingpoint. Thus a strip of this snow one-half mile long, six feet wide andone foot in depth amounts to 15,840 cubic feet and will require 15,840times 1345.5 or 21,312,720 B.t.u. to melt this much snow in one hourstime. Due to the high specific heat of water, a rapid transfer of heatis effected resulting in a rapid conversion of the ice and snow intowater. The rate that snow will be removed from a street or highway willdepend on the depth of the snow to be removed and other factors.However, it is estimated that on an average depth of snow on thehighway, the snow-removing machine can be caused to move and clear snowtherefrom at a rate ofseveral miles per hour. Where the snow is light, agreater rate can be achieved.

While there has been described what at present is considered to be thepreferred embodiment of this invention, it will be obvious to thoseskilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be madetherein without departing from the invention. It is aimed, therefore, inthe appended'claims to cover all such changes and modifications whichfall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In an ice and snow removing machine, wherein there is provided awheeled frame structure for movement over a surface, an inclined scoopfor picking up snow as the machine is moved over the surface, andconveyor means including guides for delivering ice and snow rearwardlyfrom the scoop, the combination of a melting tank containing water beingpositioned within the frame structure with its front end disposed toreceive ice and snow delivered by the conveyor means, a transversebafiie extending from the bottom of said tank to just below the normalwater level to divide said tank into front and rear compartments, anoverflow tank communicating with said rear compartment for removingexcess water from said melting tank and including outlets for disposalof any excess water, a plurality of immersion type heating tubespositioned in at least said front compartment below the normal waterlevel and with means for delivering a high temperature fuel through saidtubes from the inlet to the exhaust ends thereof, and an exhaust chambercommunicating with the exhaust ends of said tubes and extendingthroughout said melting tank and overflow tank in direct heat exchangerelation therewith for heating the water in said melting tank and saidoverflow tank.

2. 'In an ice and snow removing machine according to claim 1 wherein atleast one weir is positioned between said melting tank and said overflowtank to control the passage of water from said melting tank into saidoverflow tank and thereby to establish the normal water level withinsaid melting tank.

References Cited in the file of this'patent UNITED STATES PATENTS145,566 Hart Dec. 16, 1873 176,348 Pielert Apr. 18, 1876 608,827Boorm-an et a1. Aug. 9, 1898 1,016,411 Isaacs Feb. 6, 1912 1,572,414Wilbert Feb. 9, 1926 1,821,292. Chase Sept. 1, 1931 2,364,315 PowellDec. 5, 1944 2,401,106 Richardson May 28, 1946 2,599,098 Flynn June 3,1952 2,605,760 Cayas Aug. 5, 1952 2,729,000 Bros'et a1. Jan. 3, 19562,738,786 Leary Mar. 20, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 27,519 Austria Feb. 25,1907

